Pneumatic skill toy



1959 T. F. MARCHIONDA 2,919,135 I PNEUMATIC sxm. TOY

Filed May 28, 1957 INVENTOR.

ZZmyF Marciuonaa I BY ATTOKNEK United States Patent PNEUMATIC SKILL TOYrosy n'mrahionaa, Struthers, Ohio Application May 28, 1957, Serial No.662,144 5 c1. ats- 119 This invention relates to a toy and moreparticularly to skill toy in which air pressure is used to move anobject to predetermined locations along a tortuous tubular path.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of aninexpensive, easily constructed, amusing skill toy.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a skill toycomprising a section of transparent tubing having expansible airbladders secured to its opposite ends and a ball disposed in the tubingfor movement by air pressure in the tubing.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pneumaticskill toy in which manipulation of a pair of resilient air bladderssecured to the opposite ends of a section of transparent tubing actuatesan object confined in the tubing.

The pneumatic skill toy disclosed herein comprises a simple andinexpensive device which may be easily formed from a section oftransparent plastic tubing which is formed in a desired configurationand includes a plurality of objectives positioned therealong.

Rubber balloons or the like secured to the opposite ends of transparenttubing are manipulated by the player to cause air currents to flow backand forth in the tubing and move a ball captive therein. An unusual andnovel action is obtained in that air moved in one direction through thetubing as by sufi'lciently collapsing one of the balloons on one endmoves the ball and at the same time the air expands the balloon on theopposite end so that if caution is not employed the resilient quality ofthe expanded balloon will direct the additional air therein backwardlythrough the tubing and alter the position of the ball or playing piecetherein.

Skill is therefore required to manipulate the ball to the desiredplurality of goals or objects along the tubing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes andmodifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposesof the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pneumatic toy formed in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the toy shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of pneumatic toy.

By referring to the drawing and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will beseen that a section of transparent plastic tubing which is substantiallyrigid is indicated by the numeral and that it has spaced sections 1111on a common center line with an intermediate undulating section 12 incommunication therewith, it being observed that the end sections of thetubing 10 are bent at right Patented Dec. 29, 1959 angles to thesections 1111 and that resilient inflatable air bladders 1313 aresecured to the ends of the tubing 10. The resilient air bladders 1313may take the form of rubber balloons. p

A ball '14, the outer diameter of which is slightly smauer'tha'n thediameter of the transparent tubing 10, is disposed within the same andis movable there thro'ugh by air currents occasioned by squeezing one orthe other of the air bladders 13 13.

Objectives comprising goals 15-15 are formed by markers or othersuitable indicia'on the tubing at desired'locations therealon'g. Anobject of the game which may be played with the skill toy is to positionthe ball 14 progressively through the several markers 1515.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that the pneumatic skill toymay take any form or shape and that the action of the ball 14 in thetubing will be entertaining to the player or players in varying degree,depending upon the actual shape of the transparent tubing employed.

In Figure 3 of the drawing an alternate shape is disclosed with respectto that shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein a section of transparent tubing16 is formed in a plurality of superimposed spaced convolutions 1717.

Expandable resilient air bladders 18-18 are secured to the opposite endsof the tubing 16 and a plurality of depressions 19 having suitableindicia 20 are provided in each of the convolutions 17. A ball 21,captive in the tubing, forms the playing piece.

Alternate forms and shapes of the tubing will occur to those skilled inthe art including straight horizontal sections and straight verticalsections and the goals or objectives 15 and 20, respectively, mayinclude electric contacts which may be closed by the balls 14 and 21 aswill occur to those skilled in the art.

A game on the skill toy may be played by an individual who will graspboth of the air bladders and direct the action of the captive ballthereby. Alternatively, two players may control the two air bladders onthe ends of the tubing or, as many additional players may enter the gameas desired, taking turns at the respective air bladder positions.

It will thus be seen that a novel and interesting pneumatic toy has beendisclosed which meets the several objects of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

,1. A toy comprising a section of transparent tubing incorporating aplurality of inclines intermediate its ends, a sphere of a diameterslightly less than the interior diameter of said transparent tubingdisposed therein and movable therealong, and air bladders secured one toeach end of said transparent tubing whereby air displaced from one ofsaid bladders will move said sphere toward the other of said bladders,an objective positioned on said tubing between a pair of said inclines.

2. A toy comprising a tortuous-shaped section of transparent tubing ofeven inner diameter, a sphere disposed in said tubing, air bladderssecured one to each end of said tubing whereby movement of the air fromone air bladder will move said sphere toward the other air bladderthrough said tubing, an objective positioned on said tortuous-shapedsection of tubing.

3. A toy comprising a section of transparent tubing of uniform diameterformed in an ascending spiral, said tubing having at least onedownwardly curving arcuate section in each convolution of said spiral,resilient air containers attached to the opposite ends of said tubing, asphere disposed in said tubing for travel therein whereby air moved fromone of said resilient air containers through said tubing to the other ofsaid containers will move said sphere, a plurality of objectivespositioned in spaced relation longitudinally of said tubing.

' 4. A toy comprising a section of transparent tubing incorporating aplurality of inclines-intermediate its ends, a sphere of a diameterslightly less than the interior diameter of said transparent tubingdisposed therein and movable therealong, indicia on said tubing atlongitudinally spaced points therealong defining goals and air bladderssecured one to each end of said transparent tubing whereby air displacedfrom one of said bladders will move said sphere'toward the other of saidbladders.

5. A toy comprising a section of transparent tubing of uniform diameterformed in an ascending spiral, said tubing having at least onedownwardly curving arcuate section in each convolution of said spiral,indicia on said downwardly curving arcuate section indicating anobjective, resilient air containers attached to the opposite 4 f r endsof said tubing, a sphere disposed in said tubing for travel thereinwhereby air moved from one ofsaid resilient air containers through saidtubing to the other of said containers will move said sphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSwitzerland Dec. 1,

